Variety
RedCabernet Dorsa
A German crossing (1971, by DNA analysis Blaufränkisch × Dornfelder) – dark, bell-pepper spiced, soft; the frost-hardy Cabernet alternative for cool sites.
Portrait
Cabernet Dorsa is a German crossing bred in 1971 at the viticultural institute in Weinsberg in Württemberg; the breeders are given as Helmut Schleip and Bernd Hill. The original claim that it was a cross of Dornfelder and Cabernet Sauvignon was refuted by DNA analysis: the parents are Blaufränkisch and Dornfelder. The variety has been approved for general cultivation since 2003. It stands mainly in Württemberg, the Pfalz and Rheinhessen; around 263 hectares are reported for Germany in 2022, with small areas in Switzerland and Hungary.
The vine is hardy in winter, hermaphroditic and thus self-fertile, and reaches higher must weights than Dornfelder or Spätburgunder. The wines are deeply coloured and rich in tannin, with aromas of cherry, blackcurrant and green bell pepper. They are considered well suited to barrique ageing.
Cabernet Dorsa pairs with roast beef, game, braised dishes and strong cheeses.
Taste profile
Six axes — acidity, sweetness, body, tannin, aroma intensity and depth — on a 0–5 scale, based on typical style. Real wines vary by region and producer.
Typical aromas — Cabernet Dorsa
These 4 aromas typically define Cabernet Dorsa. Actual taste experience varies by region and style.
Blackcurrant
Bell pepper
Blackberry
Vanilla
Cabernet Dorsa aroma families
These aroma categories are characteristic of Cabernet Dorsa. Other varieties have different focuses.
Fruit aromas are the most common and come directly from the grape, ranging from citrus through stone fruit to black berries.
Herbal aromas can be finely aromatic (sage) or grassy – a stylistic feature in some varieties, ripeness indicator in others.
Wood and toast aromas emerge from aging in oak barriques or larger wooden barrels.
Key regions
Cabernet Dorsa is grown in the following regions of our atlas. Click to see wineries.
Wineries with Cabernet Dorsa
3 curated profiles in our atlas grow Cabernet Dorsa.
3 wineries
Weingut & Vinothek Tobias Mussler
Pfalz · Leiningerland (Nordpfalz) · Bissersheim
Riesling, Müller-Thurgau, Grauburgunder
Weingut Paul Rainer Gillot
Rheinhessen · Roter Hang · Oppenheim
Riesling, Spätburgunder, Chardonnay
Weingut Geiger & Söhne
Franken · Würzburg & Maindreieck · Thüngersheim
Silvaner, Müller-Thurgau, Riesling